For the second year, management at the Western Montana Fair had to figure out what to do to draw afternoon crowds akin to those horse racing used to attract.
Last year, there were six free grandstand attractions, including a skateboard/bike demonstration and a dog show.
“The circus is huge,” said fair manager Scot Meader. “If we had (horse) racing, we wouldn't be able to do the circus.”
Carson and Barnes brings its big top to town - reputedly the world's largest - for three performances Thursday. Make that four.
The circus folk urge people to come watch the 90-by-50-yard tent go up in the morning, thanks in part to the skilled trunks of African performing elephants. A wide variety of circus animals also will available for viewing before the circus begins.
“It's quite the production,” said Chris Odlin of the Missoula Police Association, which is sponsoring the circus and making sure kids 12 and under get in free.
The three-ring circus was in Butte on Wednesday. Odlin said it will leave the Mining City for Missoula at 7 a.m. Thursday, so the one- to two-hour setup could start anywhere between 9 and 11 a.m.
The first performance is set for 1:30 p.m., followed by others at 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. Tickets can be obtained up until show time.
The Pro Bullriders Challenger Tour event is slated to start at 7 p.m. Thursday in the rodeo arena, before the final circus performance is finished.
How will that work?
“Coordination, baby,” Meader said with a smile. “We'll load the grandstands with the PBR customers, the PBR will start, and people will exit the circus at the west end of the grandstands.
“When you think about it, it's kind of getting back to the old days when we're done with horse racing for the day and have to juggle all these balls in the air” to get ready for the night show.
This year's schedule was shaken up to provide for prime-time weekend rodeo performances on Friday and Saturday nights, and the matinee performance at 1 p.m. Saturday. There's also a free slack performance of the rodeo's timed events at 1 p.m. Friday.
Sunday is turned over to motor sports - flat-track racing starting at noon in front of the grandstands, followed by the annual demolition derby at an earlier-than-usual time of 5:30 p.m.
For the first time, there was no grandstand attraction at the fair on Tuesday afternoon.
“We looked at different things - we just couldn't put all the pieces of the puzzle together,” Meader said. “What I really wanted to do was to bring in a horse whisperer, so we're going to start working on that earlier for next year.”
Still, he said, attractions elsewhere on the fairgrounds were drawing lots of attention, including an expanded Country Fair on the northwest (animal barn) side of the grounds.
“We've got the NASCAR exhibit, so the line's already forming down there to get in and drive those simulators,” Meader said. “We've got the Tony Stewart No. 20 there.”
On Wednesday, a smattering of spectators in the grandstand watched the horsemanship competition of the Miss Rodeo Western Montana Queen contest.
Reporter Kim Briggeman can be reached at 523-5266 or at kbriggeman@missoulian.com.
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